I have always regarded this visually and audibly as sheer perfection. Every time I watch and listen to this, it takes my breath away and brings a tear to my eyes. Im so grateful for all the available footage and recordings. I miss my friend.

I have always regarded this visually and audibly as sheer perfection. Every time I watch and listen to this, it takes my breath away and brings a tear to my eyes. Im so grateful for all the available footage and recordings. I miss my friend.

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Welcome to the forum, LongAgo Beautiful sentiments. I, too, am very grateful. There aren’t many days go by that I don’t watch or listen to something by the Carpenters. I actually watched Music, Music, Music last week and the medley is just fantastic.

Of everything the Carpenters performed in the 1980s, this medley is my personal favorite. What makes it stand out are Karen's exquisite vocals and Richard's wonderful arrangement, seamlessly going from one song to the next. And it ends with the last bars of the duo's signature song. Perfect.

Yes and no? I remember being kind of surprised, and quite happy, to see another special when there was no album or single to promote and hadn't been for quite some time. I was less happy to see John Davidson on the guest bill again. I thought both of them looked physically much better than they had in the last few specials (little did I know), and I did love the segments with Ella Fitzgerald as well as that closing medley. While I was glad they avoided the stupid skits this time, I was a little disappointed that it did feel, as Richard has quoted an ABC exec as saying, "like a PBS special". Musically, though superb as always, it was completely out of step with anything in the pop world. In hindsight there's nothing wrong with that. Nothing at all. Some great music came out of it and has endured. But in 1980, I felt like it was kind of an acceptance on their part that their hitmaking days were over. I do wonder, if ABC had ordered more specials despite the ratings this one got, what direction they might have taken.

According to Newsletter #66, January 1980:
"You will be happy to know tentative plans are in the making for a Carpenters TV Special
some time in the Spring. Taping is scheduled to begin next month, but there is
no information on the theme or guests as this letter goes to press." Newsletter #67, May 1980:
"Their studio sessions and work on the next special later this year, will keep them fully occupied."CFCN #68, October 1980:
"Due to the recent wedding...regretfully their TV Special has been postponed until next Spring."CFCN #69, February 1981:
"The postponed television special is tentatively set for sometime in the fall."CFCN #70, June 1981: "they are committed to fulfill later this year, taping of an ABC special."CFCN #73, November 1981: "R and K are committed for one more ABC TV special which will
transpire next Spring."

CFCN #69, February 1981:
"The postponed television special is tentatively set for sometime in the fall."CFCN #70, June 1981: "they are committed to fulfill later this year, taping of an ABC special."CFCN #73, November 1981: "R and K are committed for one more ABC TV special which will
transpire next Spring."

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In the days before internet, mobile phones and emails, all these newsletters tell you is that it was business as usual. Evelyn Wallace confirmed years ago that they concentrated on the lighthearted stuff where possible. There was no way they were planning to record a new TV special in either the fall of 1981 or the Spring of 1982. Nobody had a clue what was going on.

I remember being kind of let down, actually. Sure, I was happy to see the Carpenters back on TV, but the "Music Music Music" I was expecting to hear, was "their" music! Keep in mind, I was 17 years old, and in my last year of high school. The "Great American Songbook" couldn't have been further from what I was listening to at the time. That was music for old people! My parents watched the special with me, along with my grandmother who was visiting. They enjoyed it a lot - much more than I did, and I was the fan! Grandma was especially happy to see Ella Fitzgerald, a singer from her generation. The best part of the show for me, and what saved it in the end, was the medley. Absolutely sublime! But still, I was left wondering what had happened to my favourite act, and why they weren't even trying to appeal to their own generation anymore (much less mine)? How long, I thought, before they start entertaining at nursing homes?

Oh, my ears really perked up during the closing credits, when the voice-over announced..."Later tonight, be sure to watch Fridays, with musical guest Boz Scaggs". Now, THAT was the stuff I WAS listening to in May 1980! His current album, "Middle Man", was my favourite album at the time. I nearly wore out the LP. I clearly remember that Boz sang "Jojo", and "Breakdown Dead Ahead" that night.

I think this "special" was more an attempt to change their image; show that they were more serious musicians rather than just a bubble-gum pop act not to be taken seriously. I think it is their best of all the specials, IMO. And that ending medley is the best!

There is a radio interview with Karen from England in 1978 where she states that in the new year (1979) she was going to get to work at their next tv special, obviously that didn't happen but I wonder what it would have been like.

There is a radio interview with Karen from England in 1978 where she states that in the new year (1979) she was going to get to work at their next tv special, obviously that didn't happen but I wonder what it would have been like.

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I'm presuming it would've broadcast April '79 and revolved around their 10th anniversary as recording artists. That aborted '79 album was due to coincide with the same date.

As the Carpenters' popularity continued to fall throughout the late 70's you can almost see the ABC executives getting increasingly pissed as delay after delay pushed back their 5th and 6th special.

Richard's drug issues ruled out anything happening in '79. MIA's production ate into a far larger part of '81 than they expected, and by the time it was released there was the promo tour. And Karen took '82 out for treatment.

Originally they probably thought the fifth would have come out April of '79 then the last in Xmas of the same year, but as it turned out even at the time of Karen's death there was still that final contracted special outstanding.

"Knowing When to Leave" just kills me. The harmonies are basic four-part, of course, but each part is doubled so it's just the epitome of smooth.

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Karen’s diction spoils it a little for me in parts, it sounds like she’s trying to emulate someone who speaks very posh English and her vowels (especially “o”) are far too pronounced on lines like “butlikeafoolIdon’tknow” and “so very hard to doooo”. If you don’t know what I mean, think Julie Andrews (“doe a deer/sew a needle pulling thread etc). That said - there is absolutely no reason why this clip should have been withheld from DVD release. It’s stunning in every respect.

Karen’s diction spoils it a little for me in parts, it sounds like she’s trying to emulate someone who speaks very posh English and her vowels (especially “o”) are far too pronounced on lines like “butlikeafoolIdon’tknow” and “so very hard to doooo”. If you don’t know what I mean, think Julie Andrews (“doe a deer/sew a needle pulling thread etc). That said - there is absolutely no reason why this clip should have been withheld from DVD release. It’s stunning in every respect.

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I get that. She was well into her Matt Monro phase but it doesn't bother me, really. For me, it's far more about the harmonies. It's stuff like this that is undeniable proof that they never should have started going the Chorale route. The two of them together are magic.